JP7442664B2 - Equipment layout design support device and equipment layout design support method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a device and a support method for supporting layout design when installing a plurality of devices.

Facilities such as data centers, which gather various types of computers, power supplies, and other equipment in one place, are becoming increasingly important as services are expanded through networks. In this facility, equipment is generally stored and managed in a large number of racks. Inspection and proper management of equipment are essential for stable operation of services. For this reason, techniques have been proposed to easily identify and manage many racks and devices (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2019-125026 Publication

According to the above-mentioned technology, it is possible to reduce the burden on managers and reduce human errors during inspections during the operation stage of existing equipment. On the other hand, at the layout design stage when starting up new equipment or adding equipment to existing equipment, it is necessary to select equipment, consider storage locations in racks and cable connections, decide on the placement of the rack itself, Many processes are involved, such as associating equipment with storage locations. The work of arranging a wide variety of devices appropriately and connecting them with cables accurately is a heavy burden, and it is also necessary to consider various aspects such as the power capacity and weight limits of the installation location. Therefore, there is a need for technology that makes such work more efficient.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a technology that can streamline the design work of equipment layout in a facility equipped with a plurality of equipment.

One aspect of the present invention relates to an equipment layout design support device. This equipment layout design support device includes a settings screen control unit that controls a settings screen that accepts settings related to the characteristics of the rack used for storing equipment and the equipment that should be stored in the rack, and settings input by the user on the settings screen. The present invention is characterized by comprising an input information acquisition unit that acquires information, and a configuration information output unit that stores configuration information in a rack information storage unit.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a device layout design support method. This equipment layout design support method includes the steps of controlling a settings screen that accepts settings related to the characteristics of the rack used for storing equipment and the equipment to be stored in the rack, and acquiring setting information input by the user on the settings screen. and storing the setting information in the rack information storage unit.

Note that any combination of the above components and the expression of the present invention converted between methods, devices, systems, computer programs, recording media on which computer programs are recorded, etc. are also effective as aspects of the present invention. .

According to the present invention, it is possible to streamline the design work of equipment layout in a facility including a plurality of equipment.

1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a data center management system to which this embodiment can be applied. 1 is a diagram showing an internal circuit configuration of an equipment layout design support device according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of functional blocks of an equipment layout design support device and various storage units in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the data structure of a rack template output by the equipment layout design support device in the present embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a data structure of information stored in a device information storage unit and an installation location information storage unit according to the present embodiment. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in which the equipment layout design support device supports rack template generation and rack layout planning in the present embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example screen of a rack template list displayed in S10 of FIG. 6; 7 is a diagram illustrating a rack basic information setting screen displayed in S14 of FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a device selection screen displayed in S16 of FIG. 6. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a screen in which further information is displayed on the device candidate display section on the device selection screen of FIG. 9. FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a setting screen for a device storage slot, which is displayed in S18 of FIG. 6; 7 is a diagram illustrating a screen for setting connections between devices, which is displayed in S20 of FIG. 6. FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a connection destination device setting screen displayed in S20 of FIG. 6; 7 is a diagram illustrating a display screen of overall information on setting contents displayed in S22 of FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a rack floor arrangement setting screen displayed in S36 of FIG. 6. FIG.

The present embodiment relates to at least a technique for supporting a user's work of selecting equipment to be stored in a rack having a plurality of slots, determining storage slots, and connection relationships. As far as this is concerned, there are no particular limitations on the type or purpose of the equipment in which the racks are installed, but a data center will be described below as an example. FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a data center management system to which this embodiment can be applied.

In this example, the data center management system 1 has a configuration in which a device layout design support device 10, a device management system 14, and a facility management system 16 are connected to a network 8 such as a LAN (Local Area Network) or a WAN (Wide Area Network). has. The equipment layout design support device 10 supports a user in determining the configuration of a rack (for example, the rack 20) to be installed in the data center 18. Here, the rack configuration refers to at least one of the type of rack, the equipment to be stored, the slot in which to store the equipment, and the connection relationship between the equipment. Further, the user is a designer, an operation manager, or the like of the data center 18.

Note that the equipment layout design support device 10 may assist a user in updating the configuration of racks already installed in the data center 18. The equipment layout design support device 10 may also support the work of planning the floor arrangement of racks in the data center 18. As shown in the figure, an input device 11 for a user to input various settings, and a display device 12 for displaying a setting screen are connected to the device layout design support device 10.

The input device 11 may be any general input means such as a keyboard, touch panel, or controller. The display device 12 may be any general display means such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. Note that at least one of the input device 11 and the display device 12 may be realized integrally with the device layout design support device 10. For example, it may be realized by a tablet terminal or the like that has all three functions integrated.

The equipment management system 14 is, for example, a system of a purchasing department in a company that operates the data center 18, and manages catalog information and inventory quantities regarding equipment stored in racks. Note that the device management system 14 may include a server that provides product information at a device manufacturer or seller. When a user selects equipment to be stored in a rack, by providing equipment information from the equipment management system 14 to the equipment layout design support device 10, the user can efficiently compare and consider and easily select the most suitable equipment. be able to.

The equipment management system 16 manages the racks actually placed in the data center 18 and the equipment stored therein. That is, the actually arranged racks and equipment are managed based on the rack configuration determined using the equipment layout design support device 10 and the floor arrangement in the data center 18. When the equipment layout design support device 10 provides the user's setting information regarding the rack configuration and floor arrangement, the equipment management system 16 can then update information on the positional relationships of the actually installed equipment and racks and their updated information. Can be automatically recognized.

FIG. 2 shows the internal circuit configuration of the equipment layout design support device 10. The equipment layout design support device 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 23, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) 24, and a main memory 26. These parts are interconnected via a bus 30. An input/output interface 28 is further connected to the bus 30. The input/output interface 28 includes a communication unit 32 that establishes communication with the equipment management system 14 and the facility management system 16, a storage unit 34 such as a hard disk drive or nonvolatile memory, an output unit 36 that outputs data to the display device 12, and an input unit. An input unit 38 for inputting data from the device 11 and a recording medium drive unit 40 for driving a removable recording medium such as a magnetic disk, an optical disk, or a semiconductor memory are connected.

The CPU 23 controls the entire equipment layout design support apparatus 10 by executing the operating system stored in the storage unit 34. The CPU 23 also executes various programs read from the removable recording medium and loaded into the main memory 26. The GPU 24 generates a display image according to a drawing command from the CPU 23 and outputs it to the output unit 36. The main memory 26 is composed of a RAM (Random Access Memory) and stores programs and data necessary for processing.

FIG. 3 shows the functional block configuration of the device layout design support device 10 and various storage units in this embodiment. Each functional block shown in FIG. 3 can be realized in terms of hardware by the electronic components such as the CPU and main memory shown in FIG. It is realized by a program that performs various functions such as , data storage function, image processing function, and communication function. Therefore, those skilled in the art will understand that these functional blocks can be implemented in various ways using only hardware, only software, or a combination thereof, and are not limited to either.

The equipment layout design support device 10 includes a settings screen control unit 50 that controls a settings screen, an input information acquisition unit 52 that accepts settings input by the user, a settings information output unit 54 that outputs settings results, and a device that acquires information related to equipment. It includes an information acquisition section 56, a rack information acquisition section 58 that acquires information regarding the rack, and an installation location information acquisition section 60 that acquires information regarding the installation location of the rack. The equipment layout design support device 10 is also connected to an equipment information storage section 66, a rack information storage section 64, and an installation location information storage section 62.

At least one of the equipment information storage unit 66, the rack information storage unit 64, and the installation location information storage unit 62 may be implemented inside a storage device directly connected to the equipment layout design support device 10, or the network 8 may be installed inside a storage device directly connected to the equipment layout design support device 10. It may also be implemented within another system connected via. For example, the device information storage section 66 may be included in the device management system 14 in FIG. 1. The rack information storage section 64 and the installation location information storage section 62 may be included in the equipment management system 16. Alternatively, at least one of the equipment information storage section 66, the rack information storage section 64, and the installation location information storage section 62 may be implemented in the storage section 34 of the equipment layout design support apparatus 10 itself.

The setting screen control unit 50 causes the display device 12 to display a screen for setting the rack configuration. Specifically, the setting screen control unit 50 controls a screen that accepts settings related to at least one of the type of rack, the equipment to be stored, the storage slot of the equipment, and the cable connection between the equipment. For each setting item, the setting screen control unit 50 displays items that the user can select and information on which the settings are based on the setting screen. Therefore, the setting screen control unit 50 acquires information on the equipment as an option from the equipment information acquisition unit 56 and information on the type and storage status of the rack as an option from the rack information acquisition unit 58.

Further, the setting screen control unit 50 may acquire information related to equipment restrictions such as weight restrictions and maximum power capacity at the location where the rack is planned to be installed from the installation location information acquisition unit 60. The setting screen control unit 50 may further cause the display device 12 to display a screen for planning the room and floor layout in which the rack will be installed for the rack for which various settings have been completed. In this case, the setting screen control unit 50 acquires information about a location where the rack can be newly installed from the installation location information acquisition unit 60.

The input information acquisition unit 52 acquires information input by the user on the setting screen displayed on the display device 12 via the input device 11 . The information input by the user here includes information for appropriately developing the displayed content, such as search conditions, and setting information such as racks, equipment, connection relationships, etc. The input information acquisition section 52 supplies the information to the setting screen control section 50 and the setting information output section 54 as appropriate.

The device information acquisition section 56 acquires information about storage candidate devices from the device information storage section 66 and provides the information to the setting screen control section 50 in accordance with a request from the setting screen control section 50 that has acquired the user's input information. For example, the device information acquisition unit 56 provides detailed information on devices that match the search conditions input by the user. The detailed information on the device includes, for example, at least one of the product name, material name, material code, hardware name, manufacturer, purpose, voltage, current, electric capacity, price, weight, connectable ports, number of items in stock, and the like. The device information storage unit 66 stores the detailed information in association with the identification information of each device.

Among these, the number of items in stock is updated by the equipment management system 14 or the like at any time, depending on the status of purchases and deliveries, actual installations, and reservations. Therefore, the device information acquisition section 56 reads out the latest inventory quantity and provides it to the setting screen control section 50. The rack information acquisition unit 58 acquires information related to the rack to be configured from the rack information storage unit 64 and provides the information to the configuration screen control unit 50 in accordance with a request from the configuration screen control unit 50 that has acquired the user's input information. For example, the rack information acquisition unit 58 provides information such as the configured rack configuration, a candidate rack type for which a new configuration is to be set, and empty slots in the target rack.

The rack information storage unit 64 stores information related to the configured rack configuration in association with identification information. As described above, the rack configuration is design information for realizing rack installation based on the rack type, equipment to be stored, storage slots, connection relationships, etc. In this embodiment, configuration information of a rack that has been set once can be reused in subsequent settings, thereby streamlining the setting work. For example, when starting up a new data center, it may be necessary to install multiple racks with the same configuration.

At this time, by reusing the configuration information set for one rack for setting another rack, there is no need to repeat the same setting work for each rack, and work efficiency is greatly improved. In addition, even when setting up racks with different configurations, if some configurations are common, the setting work can be simplified by calling up the configured configuration information and modifying only part of it. . The rack configuration information stored in a reusable manner in this manner will be referred to as a "rack template" hereinafter. In addition to rack templates, the rack information storage unit 64 stores catalog information of racks as products, such as selectable rack types.

The installation location information acquisition unit 60 acquires information related to the planned installation location from the installation location information storage unit 62 and provides it to the setting screen control unit 50 in accordance with a request from the setting screen control unit 50 that has acquired the user's input information. do. For example, the installation location information acquisition unit 60 provides information such as room options in which the rack can be installed, floor shape, rack installation status, and restrictions on electrical capacity, weight, and the like. The installation location information storage unit 62 stores this information in association with the identification information of the room in the data center. Among these, the installation status of the racks is updated as needed by the equipment management system 16 or the like, depending on the actual installation or reservation status.

The setting information output unit 54 stores the setting information input by the user in the rack information storage unit 64 in association with the specified rack type. The data corresponds to the rack template described above. When securing equipment set as a storage target in the rack template from inventory, the setting information output unit 54 updates the inventory quantity of the applicable equipment stored in the equipment information storage unit 66 so as to subtract the amount reserved. Good too.

At this time, the setting information output unit 54 may request the equipment management system 14 to secure the equipment so that the information is reflected in material management and equipment order processing. In addition, when securing an area on the floor set as a rack installation location, the setting information output unit 54 reflects this as a reserved area in the rack installation status of the corresponding floor stored in the installation location information storage unit 62. You may let them.

FIG. 4 illustrates the data structure of a rack template output by the equipment layout design support apparatus 10. In this example, the rack template is composed of basic information 70, rack information 72, and slot information 74. The basic information 70 includes data such as a rack template identification number, template name, rack identification information, template status, equipment type, template creator, and creation date and time.

The rack information 72 includes the type of rack to be configured, its purpose, the number of slots in use (equipment is stored), the range of slots in use, the width of the rack, the maximum weight of the device allowed, and Contains data such as maximum electrical capacity. The slot information 74 includes data for each slot in the rack, such as the slot number, the device to be stored, the device connected to the device, the number of the rack or slot in which it is stored, the connection port, and the type of cable used for connection. .

The equipment layout design support device 10 generates a rack template in a predetermined format including data of the items shown in the figure based on input by the user, and stores it in the rack information storage unit 64. This allows for reuse in later setups, as described above, to improve efficiency in different rack setups and floor planning. Note that the data structure in the figure is an example, and the present embodiment is not limited to this. Further, some items may be automatically set by the equipment layout design support device 10 based on information provided from the equipment information acquisition unit 56, the rack information acquisition unit 58, and the installation location information acquisition unit 60.

FIG. 5 illustrates the data structure of information stored in the device information storage section 66 and the installation location information storage section 62. (a) is an example of the data structure of device information stored in the device information storage unit 66, which includes identification number, product name, material name, material code, hardware name, manufacturer, application, voltage, price, weight, and power consumption. , including data such as electrical capacity, connectable ports, and inventory quantities. The device information storage unit 66 stores, for example, data on the structure for each device that may be stored in a rack. Here, as mentioned above, the inventory quantity is updated from time to time according to the actual usage status, delivery status, etc.

(b) is an example of the data structure of the installation location information stored in the installation location information storage unit 62, which includes an identification number, location within the building, floor area (shape), weight limit, maximum allowable electrical capacity, floor Contains data such as rack placement. The installation location information storage unit 62 stores data on the structure for each room in the data center. Here, as described above, the rack arrangement is updated at any time according to the rack installation status, area reservation status, and the like.

Next, the operation of the equipment layout design support apparatus 10 realized by the configuration described above will be explained. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure in which the equipment layout design support apparatus 10 supports rack template generation and rack layout planning. First, the setting screen control unit 50 displays a list of rack templates in response to an instruction input from the user (S10). For this reason, the rack information acquisition unit 58 reads basic information of rack templates that have been created in the past and stored in the rack information storage unit 64, and supplies the basic information to the setting screen control unit 50.

When the user inputs a request to create a new rack template on a screen displaying a list of created rack templates, the setting screen control unit 50 displays a screen for setting various items of the rack template. . Specifically, the setting screen control unit 50 first displays a setting screen for basic information including the characteristics of the rack to be set, the type of equipment, etc., and the input information acquisition unit 52 receives the settings (S14). At this time, the setting screen control unit 50 acquires and displays information such as information on available racks and restrictions on installation locations from the rack information acquisition unit 58 and installation location information acquisition unit 60, so that the user can easily Appropriate settings can be made.

When the settings related to the rack are completed, the setting screen control section 50 next displays a screen for selecting the equipment to be stored, and the input information acquisition section 52 accepts the selection operation (S16). At this time, the setting screen control unit 50 acquires and displays information on device candidates that match the user's search conditions from the device information acquisition unit 56, allowing the user to view various information such as weight, electric capacity, price, and quantity in stock. You can select the most suitable equipment from a practical standpoint. Once the device is selected, the setting screen control unit 50 next displays a setting screen for the storage slot of the device, and the input information acquisition unit 52 accepts the settings (S18).

In the case of a rack in which some slots have already been set as storage destinations, the setting screen control unit 50 displays such slots and empty slots in a distinguishable manner, allowing the user to select appropriate slots as new storage destinations. Can be set as . Situations where some slots are set as storage destinations include cases where the storage destination of another device was previously set in the template being created, or when a created template is read and a new device is stored. may be amended. In the latter case, the setting screen control unit 50 acquires the storage slot information set in the created template from the rack information acquisition unit 58 and reflects it on the display.

When the setting of the storage location of the devices is completed, the setting screen control section 50 next displays a setting screen for cable connection between the devices, and the input information acquisition section 52 accepts the setting (S20). At this time, the setting screen control section 50 obtains and displays information such as the connection port type, communication speed, and cable type of each device from the device information acquisition section 56, so that the user can easily make appropriate settings. . In S20, the setting screen control unit 50 may separately display a setting screen showing the device to be connected, the connection port of the device, the type of cable used for connection, and the like.

When the settings related to the connection are completed, the setting screen control unit 50 displays the overall information of the rack template so that the settings can be confirmed (S22). For example, the setting screen control unit 50 displays an image of a rack in which a set device is stored, and also displays setting information of the rack and the device according to a user's request. At this time, by displaying the total weight, electric capacity, total price, etc., the user can easily check whether the settings for the rack as a whole are appropriate.

If the user makes a request to confirm the rack template with the settings at this point (Y in S24), the setting information output unit 54 saves the data of the rack template by storing it in the rack information storage unit 64. (S26). If a request is made to perform some further settings without finalizing the rack template (N at S24), the setting screen control unit 50 and input information acquisition unit 52 perform the process at any stage from S14 to S20 (S14 in the figure). Revert the process and allow the user to modify settings or add devices or connections.

In S12, when the user inputs an input to select one of the rack templates on the screen displaying a list of created rack templates, the input information acquisition unit 52 accepts the input (S28). In response, the setting screen control unit 50 displays the overall information of the selected rack template, similar to S22 (S30). When the input information acquisition unit 52 acquires a request to modify the displayed rack template (Y in S32), the setting screen control unit 50 and the input information acquisition unit 52 move the process to S14.

Thereafter, by performing the N steps of S16 to S24 in accordance with the user's operations, rack changes, stored equipment changes, additions, deletions, connection changes, additions, deletions, etc. are accepted. When the modification is completed and the user makes a request to confirm the rack template (Y in S24), the setting information output unit 54 saves the data of the rack template by storing it in the rack information storage unit 64 ( S26). At this time, by allowing the user to select whether to save it as a separate rack template or to overwrite the original rack template, it is possible to create a new rack template using an already created rack template or simply modify the settings. Can be easily switched.

When the user makes a request to plan the placement of racks at the installation location (Y in S34) rather than a request to modify the rack template (N in S32), the setting screen control unit 50 selects the installation floor and A screen for setting the arrangement of racks on the floor is displayed, and the input information acquisition unit 52 accepts selections and settings (S36). At this time, the setting screen control unit 50 receives information such as room candidates that can be specified as the installation location, floor area and shape of the selected room, and areas where racks are already installed, from the installation location information acquisition unit 60. Obtain and display on the settings screen.

This allows the user to appropriately select a room that is convenient for management or an area within the room where the rack can be installed. Furthermore, when a plurality of racks with the same configuration are arranged, by allowing the same rack template to be used, the user can save the trouble of repeating the same settings for each rack.

The setting screen control unit 50 and the input information acquisition unit 52 continue to accept placement settings until the user performs an operation to confirm the rack floor placement (N in S38, S36). When the confirmation operation is performed (Y in S38), the setting information output unit 54 stores the floor layout data in the installation location information storage unit 62 (S40). Here, the rack floor arrangement is information that associates a rack template with the position on the floor of a rack having that configuration. After displaying the entire information of the selected rack template (S30), if neither a modification request nor a layout plan request is made, the process ends with a display termination request (not shown) as a trigger (N in S32, N in S34). .

FIG. 7 shows a screen example of the rack template list displayed in S10 of FIG. In this example, the rack template list screen 80 includes a list section 82 in which each line represents information about one rack template, a search condition input section 84 for inputting search conditions such as a search word, and a filter for inputting filter conditions. It includes a condition input section 86 and a sorting rule input section 88 for switching display order rules. The list section 82 displays the "state" of the template, the template name, the number of slots used, the type of equipment, the creator, and the date and time of creation as information about each rack template.

Here, "status" refers to the latest status information of the rack template itself, such as "Published" indicating that it has been published to members of the user's department and related parties, and "Draft" indicating that it is in the draft stage. . The status information is appropriately set and updated by the creator or the like. A check box (for example, check box 90) is displayed at the beginning of each row of the list section 82, and when the user checks the check box, selection of a rack template is accepted. Rack templates may be stored in numbers spanning several pages, and the search condition input section 84, filter condition input section 86, sorting rule input section 88, etc. allow the user to efficiently search for a desired template.

The rack template list screen 80 further displays a "New" button 92 for starting creation of a new rack template. When the user instructs the "New" button 92, the input information acquisition section 52 accepts it, and the setting screen control section 50 starts displaying a setting screen for creating a new rack template.

FIG. 8 shows an example of the rack basic information setting screen displayed in S14 of FIG. In this example, the basic information setting screen 100 includes a template details setting section 102 and a rack details setting section 104. The template details setting section 102 consists of input fields for equipment type and template name. Here, the equipment type corresponds to the type of service to be provided, and options such as RDC (Remote Desktop Connection) and VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) can be selected from a pull-down menu. The user can input any character string as the template name.

The rack details setting section 104 includes input fields for rack name, status, purpose, rack type, width, load capacity, uppermost weight limit, power supply capacity, number of slots to be used, and uppermost slot position. The user can input any character string as the rack name. The status represents the status of the rack settings, and options such as Planned can be selected from a pull-down menu.

The applications include, for example, a transport rack, a server rack, a backup battery rack (BBU rack), and these options can be selected from a pull-down menu. Rack type is a structural characteristic, such as 2-Post Frame, 4-Post Frame, 2-Post Cabinet, or 4-Post Cabinet. Options such as Post Cabinet) can be selected from a pull-down menu. Regarding the width, selectable values can also be selected from a pull-down menu.

The user can input desired values for the power supply capacity, load capacity, and uppermost weight limit. For example, if there are restrictions on the weight depending on the installation location, the user inputs the load capacity based on the restrictions. Alternatively, the setting screen control unit 50 may refer to the installation location information and set the default value. Furthermore, if heavy equipment is stored at the top of the rack, problems will arise in terms of stability, so the user should set an appropriate value for the upper limit of the weight of the top tier. The values of power supply capacity, load capacity, and uppermost weight limit are used to select a specific rack, and the setting screen control unit 50 warns the user if the set values are exceeded in the subsequent settings of storage equipment. It can also be used to give

The number of slots to use refers to the number of slots that the user wants to use to set the storage location of the device, and can be selected from predefined values such as "48", "46", and "42", or any value can be selected. Enable input. The uppermost slot position refers to the uppermost position of the slot that the user wants to use to set the storage location of the device. For example, numbers are assigned to the slots in advance in ascending order from the top of the rack downwards, and the top slot number of the slot to be used can be selected from a pull-down menu.

When the settings in the template details setting section 102 and the rack details setting section 104 are completed, the user performs an operation to instruct the "add device" button 106 on the basic information setting screen 100. When the input information acquisition unit 52 receives it, the setting screen control unit 50 switches the display to a screen for setting the device to be stored.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the device selection screen displayed in S16 of FIG. In this example, the device selection screen 110a includes a rack setting information display section 112, a search condition input section 114, a device candidate display section 116, a rack slot display section 118, and an evaluation item display section 120. The rack setting information display section 112 displays rack information set on the basic information setting screen 100 shown in FIG. 8, such as the number of slots, status, purpose, rack type, width, load capacity, and electric capacity.

The search condition input section 114 allows the user to input conditions for searching for a device to be stored. For example, the user searches using arbitrary search keys such as product name, material code, hardware name, manufacturer, etc. The device candidate display section 116 displays a list of devices that match the search conditions. The device candidate display section 116 is displayed when the device information acquisition section 56 reads information on devices that match the search conditions from the device information storage section 66 and provides it to the setting screen control section 50 . In the illustrated example, the name, manufacturer, and quantity in stock are displayed for each device.

The rack slot display section 118 displays a schematic image of the rack to be set. The figure shows 42 slots numbered 1 to 42 viewed from the front. However, the image of the rack is not limited to this, and it may be possible to switch between, for example, displaying the rack as viewed from the back or as a three-dimensional object. Further, if there is a device that has already been set to be stored, the rack slot display section 118 may indicate that the device is stored.

In response to an operation by the user to drag and drop an icon of a device selected from the device candidate display section 116 to an area of the rack slot display section 118, the setting screen control section 50 displays a storage destination setting screen to be described later. When the device to be added and the storage location are determined by the operation on the screen, the setting screen control section 50 causes the rack slot display section 118 to reflect the contents.

The evaluation item display section 120 displays the progress of evaluation items for the entire rack, which changes as devices are added to the rack. The setting screen control unit 50 calculates and displays at least one of the following parameters as evaluation items.
Number of slots: Number of slots used to store equipment and percentage of total slots Weight: Total weight of the rack based on the weight of each device and percentage of the rack's load capacity Electrical capacity: Total electrical capacity based on the electrical capacity of each device or as a percentage of the rack's power capacity Price: The total price for the rack based on the price of each piece of equipment.

The setting screen control unit 50 updates the evaluation item display unit 120 by acquiring the weight, electric capacity, and price of the device selected by the user from the device information storage unit 66 via the device information acquisition unit 56. . The setting screen control unit 50 may give a warning to the user when any of the upper limits set for each item is exceeded or when a predetermined condition that is likely to be exceeded is satisfied. By adding a device or reselecting another device while checking the evaluation item display section 120, the user can easily set an unrealistic device and be forced to make corrections later. Appropriate settings can be made.

Note that the restrictions related to weight and power capacity may be specified by the user on the basic information setting screen 100 shown in FIG. 8, or default values may be set by the setting screen control unit 50 from the viewpoint of installation location, etc. . Furthermore, when the upper limit of the weight of the equipment installed at the top of the rack is set on the basic information setting screen 100, the evaluation results from that viewpoint may also be displayed on the evaluation item display section 120. At this time, the setting screen control unit 50 may issue a warning to the user when a setting is made such that a device whose weight exceeds the upper limit is stored in the top shelf.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a screen in which further information is displayed on the device candidate display section 116 in the device selection screen 110a of FIG. In this example, the device selection screen 110b displays additional information 122 about the device selected by the user in the device candidate display section 116. For example, when the user instructs the "i" icon to indicate additional information in the list of each device, the setting screen control unit 50 displays a balloon representing the additional information 122 in a superimposed manner.

In the example shown in the figure, additional information is displayed such as product name, material name, material code, hardware name, purpose, weight, voltage, and price. By being able to display such additional information 122, the user can grasp a large number of device candidates from various manufacturers at a glance, and at the same time check the information on which to base their selection, allowing them to make an efficient and appropriate selection. It becomes possible.

FIG. 11 shows an example of the device storage slot setting screen displayed in S18 of FIG. In this example, the storage destination setting screen 132 is displayed superimposed on the device selection screen 110a when the user moves the icon of the desired device to the area of the rack slot display section 118 on the device selection screen 110a shown in FIG. . The storage location setting screen 132 includes a device information display section 134, a slot status display section 136, and a slot number input section 138.

The device information display section 134 displays catalog information such as the name, product name, hardware name, manufacturer, voltage, current, weight, etc. of the device selected as a storage target. The slot status display section 136 indicates the current availability status of each slot in the rack to be set. In the figure, the slot arrangement is shown as a horizontal line of rectangles representing each slot number, and its color represents three types of status: ``selected,'' ``available,'' and ``used.'' .

Here, "selected" indicates a slot that is being selected as a storage destination on this storage destination setting screen 132, that is, a slot that has not yet been determined as a storage destination. "Available" indicates an empty slot that can be set as a device storage location in future settings. “Used” indicates a slot that has been determined as a storage location for the device according to the previous settings. The slot number input section 138 allows the user to input the number of the storage destination slot of the selected device. The slot number input section 138 may further allow input of the purpose of the device.

The setting screen control unit 50 displays the number of slots (the number of rack units) required by the selected device in the upper row of the slot number input unit 138. Therefore, the setting screen control section 50 obtains the number of rack units required for the selected device from the device information storage section 66 via the device information obtaining section 56. The user determines the range of storage slots among the available slots in the slot status display section 136 according to the displayed number of rack units, and inputs the slot numbers of the top and bottom rows. 138.

In the illustrated example, one device can be stored in four consecutive units, as indicated by "Rack Unit-4." Therefore, among the slots with numbers "1" to "7" and "12" to "25" that were originally available, the user places one slot in slots with numbers "12" to "15" and one slot with numbers "16" to "25". 19" slot is set to store another same device. As a result, in the illustrated example, the slots numbered "12" to "19" in the slot status display section 136 are updated to the "selected" state.

In this way, by making it possible to enter a plurality of storage locations and uses of the selected device in the slot number input section 138, settings for storing a plurality of the same devices can be accepted at the same time. If the user wishes to add more of the same device, the user instructs the "+Add" button 140 to increase the number of entries in the slot number input section 138. At this time, the setting screen control unit 50 may issue a warning to the user if an entry is made that exceeds the number of items in stock. The configuration of the storage location setting screen 132 allows the user to easily specify the number of storage devices and the storage location of the same device all at once.

When the setting of the storage location of the selected device is completed, the user selects the device and confirms the storage location setting by instructing the "Add" button 142 on the storage location setting screen 132. As a result, the setting screen control unit 50 hides the storage location setting screen 132 and returns the display to the device selection screen 110a shown in FIG. 9. However, in this case, the settings made on the storage location setting screen 132 are reflected on the rack slot display section 118 and the evaluation item display section 120. If necessary, the user selects another device and sets the storage location using the same procedure.

When all device selections and storage location settings are completed, the user performs an operation to instruct the "add connection" button 119 on the device selection screen 110a. When the input information acquisition unit 52 receives it, the setting screen control unit 50 switches the display to a screen for setting connections between devices. FIG. 12 illustrates a screen for setting connections between devices, which is displayed in S20 of FIG. The connection setting screen 150 includes a rack setting information display section 152, a selected equipment display section 154, and a connection port specification section 156. The rack setting information display section 152 displays rack information set on the basic information setting screen 100 shown in FIG. 8, such as the number of slots, status, purpose, rack type, width, load resistance, and electric capacity.

The selected device display section 154 displays a list of all devices selected on the device and storage location setting screens shown in FIGS. 9 to 11. In the example shown in the figure, the set purpose and storage slot number are shown together with the icon of each device. The connection port designation section 156 displays a list of port options provided by the device selected by the user from the selected device display section 154. In this example, the port number, network type, port type, communication speed, and cable type are shown. The setting screen control unit 50 also acquires this information from the device information storage unit 66 via the device information acquisition unit 56.

The user selects the port to which he or she wishes to connect, and performs an operation to instruct the "Connect Now" button at the end of the corresponding line in the connection port designation section 156. When the input information acquisition unit 52 receives it, the setting screen control unit 50 displays a screen for setting the device to be connected. FIG. 13 shows an example of the connection destination device setting screen displayed in S20 of FIG. In this example, the connection destination setting screen 160 is displayed superimposed on the connection setting screen 150 shown in FIG. 12. The connection destination setting screen 160 includes a connection source information display section 162, a connection destination information input section 164, and a connection cable information input section 166.

The connection source information display section 162 displays information related to the connection source port selected by the user on the connection setting screen 150 in FIG. 12, such as port number, network type, port type, communication speed, cable type, etc. indicate. The connection destination information input section 164 consists of an input column for information related to a connection destination device. In this example, the user can select the stored rack name, device name, network type, and port number from a pull-down menu showing each option.

For example, when connecting devices stored in the same rack, the user selects the rack name set in the rack template being created as the "rack name." On the other hand, by selecting a different rack name set in a saved rack template, you can connect different racks. The connection cable information input section 166 consists of an input field for information related to the cable used for connection. In this example, the user can select the condition, type, label, and length of the cable from a pull-down menu showing each option.

When the user sets all the items and instructs the "Connect" button 168 on the connection destination setting screen 160, the setting screen control unit 50 hides the connection destination setting screen 160 and performs the connection setting shown in FIG. The display returns to screen 150. However, in this case, ports for which connection relationships have already been set are excluded from new connection settings by changing their color or otherwise. The user repeats the same settings by specifying another port of the same device or a port of another device as the connection source, as necessary.

When all connection settings are completed, the user performs an operation to instruct the "Register" button 158 on the connection settings screen 150. When the input information acquisition unit 52 receives it, the setting screen control unit 50 switches the display to a confirmation screen for the entire setting contents. FIG. 14 shows an example of a display screen for the overall information on the setting contents displayed in S22 of FIG. In this example, the overall information display screen 170 includes a rack setting information display section 172, a rack slot display section 174, an evaluation item display section 176, and an equipment information display section 178.

The rack setting information display section 172 displays rack information such as the number of slots, status, purpose, type, width, load resistance, and electric capacity set on the basic information setting screen 100 shown in FIG. 8. The rack slot display section 174 displays a schematic image of the rack to be set. Here, the rack slot display section 174 shows the state in which the devices selected so far are housed in their respective slots. Although the figure shows slots numbered 1 to 20 viewed from the front, it may be possible to switch between viewing them from the back and displaying them as three-dimensional objects.

The evaluation item display section 176 displays the results of the evaluation items for the entire rack when all the devices selected so far are stored. The evaluation items may be the same as those shown in the evaluation item display section 120 on the device selection screen 110a in FIG. The device information display section 178 displays information related to the selected device using a pull-down menu. By displaying this information, the user can appropriately and easily decide whether to add more devices or change the device or storage location.

For example, if heavy equipment is concentrated on the upper shelf and unbalanced, a suitable balance can be achieved by changing the storage locations. Alternatively, you can easily change to another product that weighs less. Also, if there are no consecutive empty slots needed to add a device, you can change the storage to accommodate other devices, or consider a cheaper product if the total cost is more than expected. It also becomes easier.

When an operation is performed to confirm the rack template using the "Register" button 158 on the connection setting screen 150 in FIG. 12 or the confirmation means (not shown) on the overall information display screen 170 in FIG. All the settings are associated and stored in the rack information storage unit 64 as one set of rack template data.

FIG. 15 shows an example of the rack floor arrangement setting screen displayed in S36 of FIG. In this example, the floor layout setting screen 180 includes an in-floor evaluation item display section 182, a search condition input section 184, a template candidate display section 186, and a floor diagram 188. The in-floor evaluation item display section 182 displays the name of the room (floor) to be set and the progress of the evaluation items for the entire floor, which changes as racks are added to the floor.

In this example, the number of bays racked relative to the number of rack bays prepared on the floor, the number of slots populated relative to the number of slots allowed across the floor, and the number of slots populated relative to the electrical capacity allowed on the floor. Displays the electrical capacity of the rack. However, the evaluation items are not limited to these, and may also be evaluated from the viewpoint of weight and price.

The search condition input section 184 allows the user to input conditions for searching for rack templates to be placed. For example, the user searches using arbitrary search keys such as rack template name, equipment type, creator, creation date and time. The template candidate display section 186 displays a list of rack templates that match the search conditions. The template candidate display section 186 is displayed when the rack information acquisition section 58 reads information on devices that match the search conditions from the rack information storage section 64 and provides it to the setting screen control section 50 . In the illustrated example, the name and number of used slots are displayed for each rack template.

The floor diagram 188 is a bird's-eye view of the floor to be set, and represents the sections in which racks are to be installed. In the illustrated example, the floor is equally divided into 9×5 sections. The user moves the selected rack template icon from the template candidate display section 186 to a desired section on the floor plan 188 by dragging and dropping. Then, the setting screen control unit 50 displays an image of the rack corresponding to the name of the target rack template in the destination section.

If you want to arrange multiple racks with the same configuration, you can easily arrange them in any section by simply selecting the same rack template and repeating the above steps. In the illustrated example, in three consecutive sections 190, racks having the configuration of a rack template "Server Rack" are arranged side by side. The user places a rack template with a desired configuration in a desired section of the floor map 188 while checking the evaluation items on the in-floor evaluation item display section 182.

The setting screen control unit 50 may give a warning to the user when any of the evaluation items is exceeded or when a predetermined condition that is likely to be exceeded is satisfied. After completing the settings for all rack layouts to be planned, the user performs an operation to instruct the "Register" button 192 on the floor layout setting screen 180. When the input information acquisition unit 52 receives it, the setting information output unit 54 associates the identification information of the rack template to be placed with the position of the partition to be placed, and stores it in the installation location information storage unit 62 as floor placement data. do.

When actually installing racks and equipment on a floor, first call up the floor layout data and install the set racks based on the correspondence between rack templates and partitions. Next, the selected devices are stored in the slots based on the relationship between slots and devices in the same rack template. Then, the devices are connected based on the connection relationship information in the template.

According to the present embodiment described above, when designing a device layout in a facility equipped with a plurality of devices, settings related to devices to be stored in a rack, storage slots, and cable connections are accepted from the user, and the characteristics of the rack are and save it as a rack template. By reusing the rack template, it is possible to efficiently set up multiple racks with the same configuration on a floor, or to set up racks with partially different configurations, without having to configure settings for each rack from scratch.

In addition, information that the user can rely on when selecting equipment to be stored in a rack, connection relationships, rack placement, etc. is appropriately displayed on the settings screen. For example, when selecting a device, by displaying the catalog information and inventory of candidate devices on the settings screen, it is possible to easily select the most suitable device from a wide range of devices without the need for separate investigation. In addition, it is possible to judge on the spot whether to select a candidate device from the viewpoint of constraints such as weight, electric capacity, and quantity in stock.

In addition, by linking with equipment inventory management systems and equipment management systems, it is possible to grasp equipment inventory and the installation status of racks on the floor in real time, making it possible to avoid settings that do not match reality. Furthermore, based on rack templates, coordination with equipment order processing and rack installation work becomes easier, and the location of equipment during operation can be understood without separate registration.

The present invention has been described above based on the embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand that the above embodiments are merely illustrative, and that various modifications can be made to the combinations of their constituent elements and processing processes, and that such modifications are also within the scope of the present invention. be.

As described above, the present invention can be used in various devices such as data center management devices and equipment layout design support devices, and systems including the devices.

1 Data Center Management System, 10 Equipment Layout Design Support Device, 11 Input Device, 12 Display Device, 14 Equipment Management System, 16 Equipment Management System, 18 Data Center, 23 CPU, 26 Main Memory, 32 Communication Department, 50 Setting Screen Control unit, 52 input information acquisition unit, 54 setting information output unit, 56 equipment information acquisition unit, 58 rack information acquisition unit, 60 installation location information acquisition unit, 62 installation location information storage unit, 64 rack information storage unit, 66 equipment information storage Department.

Claims (11)

a settings screen control unit that controls a settings screen that accepts settings related to the characteristics of a rack used for storing equipment and the equipment to be stored in the rack;
an input information acquisition unit that acquires configuration information input by the user on the configuration screen;
a configuration information output unit that stores the configuration information in a rack information storage unit;
Equipped with
The setting screen control unit is a setting screen that accepts the selection of the equipment to be stored and the designation of the storage destination slot in the rack, and the number of slots required to store the selected equipment and the storage destination. In addition to displaying information on selectable slots, by providing a field in which a plurality of ranges of the selectable slots can be specified, the setting screen is displayed that accepts settings for storing a plurality of the same devices. equipment layout design support device. 2. The device layout design support device according to claim 1 , wherein the settings screen control unit displays a settings screen related to connection relationships between devices. further comprising an equipment information acquisition unit that acquires detailed information regarding candidates for equipment to be stored in the rack from an equipment information storage unit;
3. The device layout design support device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting screen control unit displays detailed information regarding the device candidates on the setting screen. 3. The setting screen control unit causes the setting screen to display at least one of a total weight, a total capacitance, and a total price of the devices selected as storage targets. The equipment layout design support device described in . 5. The equipment layout design support device according to claim 4 , wherein the setting screen control unit issues a warning to the user when the total value exceeds a predetermined upper limit. further comprising an installation location information acquisition unit that acquires information related to the installation location of the rack from an installation location information storage unit,
6. The device layout design support device according to claim 5 , wherein the setting screen control unit determines the upper limit based on information regarding the installation location. 7. The device layout design support device according to claim 3 , wherein the device information acquisition unit acquires information regarding the number of devices in stock to be stored in the rack as the detailed information. The input information acquisition unit acquires setting information related to a rack layout plan at an installation location,
The configuration information output unit further associates the configuration information for each rack read from the rack information storage unit with the position of the rack set in the layout plan, and outputs it as floor layout information. 8. The equipment layout design support device according to any one of Items 1 to 7 . The setting screen control unit displays, on the setting screen, setting information selected by a user from among the setting information for each rack stored in the rack information storage unit;
9. The equipment layout design support apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input information acquisition unit acquires input information for modifying the setting information. controlling a settings screen that accepts settings related to the characteristics of a rack used for storing equipment and the equipment to be stored in the rack;
obtaining setting information input by the user on the setting screen;
storing the setting information in a rack information storage unit;
including;
The step of controlling the setting screen is a setting screen that accepts the selection of the equipment to be stored and the designation of the storage destination slot in the rack, and the number of slots required to store the selected equipment and the storage location. In addition to displaying information on selectable slots first, the setting screen is displayed to accept settings for storing a plurality of the same devices by providing a field in which a plurality of ranges of the selectable slots can be specified. A device layout design support method characterized by: Features of the rack used to store equipment and a function to control a settings screen that accepts settings related to equipment to be stored in the rack;
a function of acquiring setting information input by the user on the setting screen;
a function of storing the setting information in a rack information storage unit;
to be realized by a computer ,
The function that controls the setting screen is a setting screen that accepts the selection of the equipment to be stored and the designation of the storage destination slot in the rack, and the number of slots required to store the selected equipment and the storage location. In addition to displaying information on slots that can be selected first, a field is provided in which multiple ranges of the selectable slots can be specified, thereby displaying the settings screen that accepts settings for storing multiple pieces of the same device. A computer program characterized by:

Images